Death bill bid for 2013

Tasmanians are being encouraged to comment on a long-awaited discussion paper about voluntary euthanasia.

Premier Lara Giddings and Greens Leader Nick McKim have released the paper which spells out 15 requirements for terminally ill patients.

They include being over 18, a Tasmanian resident, mentally competent, giving written and oral consent and being in the last stages of a terminal illness.

Recent polls suggest almost 80 per cent of Tasmanians support voluntary euthanasia.

Mr McKim says it is the right legal framework for Tasmania.

"This reform is based on values of compassion and respect for human dignity and human rights," he said.

Under the model, patients will have the choice to either self administer lethal medication or have their doctors do it.

Ms Giddings says it is time to end the suffering.

"This is about assisting people to make a decision that they should have every right to make," she said.

They hope the bill will be law by the end of the year.

Margaret Sing from Dying with Dignity says those with dementia have been left out.

"One of the biggest fears that people have is dementia and dying in a vegetative state hanging on for years and so on, and people do want the opportunity to say in an advanced directive I don't want that to happen," she said.

The Australian Christian Lobby says it is not true that 80 per cent of Tasmanians support voluntary euthanasia.

The lobby's Jim Wallace says once people fully understand the issue, the level of support drops.

"I draw your attention to the first Tasmanian inquiry where four of the five on the panel were committed, as I understand it, to euthanasia but after reviewing the evidence they realised that you simply couldn't introduce it without the necessary safety guarantee."

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